The following description relates to computer network security, for example, providing security between applications exchanging data.
As businesses continues to expand their use of computing devices, the information technology (IT) infrastructure has continued to grow more and more heterogeneous. The IT infrastructure may be characterized by variant device architectures, device capacities, device capabilities, networks, applications, and administrative domains. This growing heterogeneity is especially present with the expanded use of mobile computing devices. Whether the heterogeneity occurs by choice or by circumstance, it exists, and is growing.
To allow users to access applications in a heterogeneous IT infrastructure, an open environment, that is, one that allows users easy access to applications in other parts of the IT infrastructure, may be used. Open environments may allow distributed, disparate systems to interact based on lowly coupled messaging.
However, as a result, high-level business requirements, particularly security, often become lost in a mesh of technology, networks, devices, and software. Furthermore, the requirements may become lost in a maze of decision makers, implementers, and users, such as managerial, administrative, production, and sales personnel.